The Night of the Tengu
by Lumi75
Summary: On Halloween Night, Takasugi decides to prank Katsura by tying him to a tombstone in a graveyard. But his plan backfires when Gintoki finds out.
1. There are no Kings

_**THE NIGHT OF THE TENGU: PART 1**_

_ Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Hideaki Sorachi _

_Characters: Takasugi, Katsura, Gintoki (12 yrs old ), "Rizou" is a younger version of Nizou, you can see them in GINTAMA ENDING 9: SANAGI ( 0.0-0.35s) on YOUTUBE  
_

_Beta'ed by: exquisittexabie! Thank you._

_HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN!_

XXX

On Halloween Eve, Shouyou-sensei took his students on a school trip to Kyoto. They stayed in an ancient temple at the foot of a mountain infamous for being the home of the Tengu. Right behind the temple was a cemetery. At 5am the next morning, Takasugi insisted that his gang go for a morning jog…_there._

"Let's go, guys! We're not going to get another chance like this for another year."

They climbed up the steep slope and found themselves facing terraces upon terraces of small tombstones bleached a skeletal white by the moonlight. The markers cluttered together and pointed messily in random directions. Groves of bamboo and other trees broke up the retaining walls made of interlocking stone boulders. Towering high above them and marking the mid-point of the hill was their target, a stone pagoda.

"Come on, soldiers!" Takasugi urged, marching briskly up the stone pathway. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And we're going to be the strongest gang in this school."

"Ugh…this place stinks…" Rizou complained. He was a brutal fighter with an exceptionally sensitive nose. "It smells of rotting corpses…"

Takasugi took a deep breath of the humid, inky-blue air. "I don't smell anything like that," he replied seriously. "If anything, I smell flowers..." he sniffed again. "Someone must really love jasmine around here." His eyes nervously scanned the area for the distinctive shrub but the hazy, grayish light repelled his attempts to separate form from shadow. Pansai and Matoto were juniors walking in the middle of the five. They exchanged pained looks. Matoto was only 11 and his voice quivered, "_Jasmine?_ It's said that they either smell like rotting meat or…_jasmine flowers."_ "Jasmine eh?" Henpaitai sniffed sceptically. He was the oldest of the group and brought up the rear. "All I sense are rotting leaves. But that's just normal for autumn." But just as the words left his lips, a cold, prickly sensation ran up his right shoulder and he gasped. "Ah!"

Everyone froze.

"Ah…sorry, I thought I saw a flash of red, like a red…_something._"

"What_ thing._" Takasugi stated cautiously. His eyes swept ahead and noted nothing redder than the deep amber of maple leaves soaked by moonlight. "Maple-leaves?"

"No. Blood red…glossy red, like the red lacquer mask of a Tengu in a Noh play."

"_Che!_ Even the moon is red tonight." Rizou grumbled.

"That's the crescent moon in the zodiac sign of the wild boar," Takasugi replied a little smugly. "A powerful time for change. Even the Tengu should watch out. He might get the tables turned on him tonight." He laughed.

"Tengu? What's that?" Matoto asked fearfully.

"A red-faced goblin with a long nose and wings like an eagle. It likes to attack people who get too big for their breeches…like prideful priests, or arrogant little boys!" Pansai replied, a little playfully. But at his last words, everyone immediately thought of their leader, who was 156cm tall and had more pride than 4 fallen priests combined. As if by sixth sense, Takasugi chuckled. "You guys should feel safe from the Tengu. If we somehow manage to attract the attention of one – which I highly doubt since it's almost dawn– then the first person he's gonna come after is me, right? Since I'm the one with the most _pride_ out of us." He chuckled. "Actually, it hurts _my_ _pride_ that our supernatural friend hasn't shown up yet."

Takasugi suddenly shouted crazily into the forest, "HEY TENGU, COME OUT! I'm the most prideful boy in Kyoto and I can't wait for you to humiliate me!"

Everyone cringed as his foolhardy words echoed away into the darkness. Birds and bugs squawked angrily in complaint, but other than that, nothing happened. The teens tittered nervously. Rizou nudged Takasugi in the ribs and sternly hissed. "Don't tempt fate. Apologize to the Tengu, _now!_" Takasugi grabbed his shirt. "What's wrong Rizou? _Freaking out already?"_ Rizou glared back, but an alarm bell rang in his mind warning him it was taboo to pick a fight in a cemetery. So he simply shoved Takasugi's arm out of the way, planted his hands on his waist and furrowed his eyebrows sarcastically. "_Che._ Why should I be? He's gonna come after you first, right?"

Takasugi responded with a wry smile, picturing himself meeting the Tengu and wondering who was the more evil of the two. He broke into a run and the group followed, infected by his self-confidence. When they reached the pagoda, Takasugi could see more tombstones up on the ridge. They were spaced far apart and bordered by hedges, as if they were graves of important people. He felt like exploring those, but he knew that if he suggested that, he would have a mutiny on his hands. He fed off the thrill of fear, but most people didn't. Besides, the sky was turning deep blue and the grass was drenched in lavender dew.

Time to go back to school!

The gang arrived early for morning assembly, which today was held under the majestic, soaring roof of a 500 year old Shinto Temple. Adrenaline was still pumping through their veins and the teens felt like picking on someone. A long-haired teen entered the shadowy interior with a well-worn book in hand. He had a gentle expression and his skin was so fair it glowed luminously in the dark. He looked as pretty and doll-like as a prince from an ancient scroll. He nodded politely to them then joined another group of boys whom eagerly surrounded him. Takasugi squinted as he observed Katsura's charming expression. _Insufferable._ The sissy-boy was not only successful at schoolwork but also held in high social esteem. Takasugi really couldn't see why he was praised as the embodiment of Bushido. All the loser did was get in his way of disciplining certain peers.

_How much does that stuck-up sissy really know about Bushido? Has he even survived a single crisis in his whole life? Let me see how long his pride will last when he's all alone and powerless! _

He sat up and gestured for his gang to gather tightly. "Hey guys…I have a plan. Since we succeeded in our "training" this morning, we should move on to something even more challenging. _I say we play a prank on Zura tonight._ He's like a thorn in our side, always messing up our plans. So why don't we tie him up to a tombstone and leave him there overnight? It'll be fun to watch his proud face cry." All heads turned to observe the friendly, smiling face of Katsura at the other corner of the hall. Rizou smirked, but shook his head. "This sounds like fun but if he cracks up and panics, he might get possessed by the Tengu. He could even die or go mad! We shouldn't tamper with the spirits of the dead. Why don't we just beat him up and be done with it?"

"Do you want me to hit you again?" Takasugi scowled.

Rizou was already irritated by Takasugi's previous insult. He snapped,"What's your problem, Takasugi? You're too arrogant! Maybe _you_ should meet the Tengu instead! "

"What did you say?!"

"I joined your gang because I like to fight, not because I want to be cursed!"

"You are too superstitious, Rizou…" Takasugi drawled. He nodded in Henpaitai's direction. "Henpaitai. Do Tengus exist?"

"Tengus are legendary beings which have never been caught on film or documented. So in that sense they don't exist. But ghosts and other unexplainable phenomena have been scientifically proven."

"Hmm…Let me make this clearer for us. Ghosts may exist, Tengus may exist. But most importantly, _Evil_ people exist."

"Damn right!"said Rizou.

"You're right. I am evil and so is the whole world. If you're weak, the world will be evil to you. But if you're strong, the world will be nice to you. That's why we must get stronger at all costs. If we are afraid of the supernatural, then all the more so we should stay up all night in a cemetery and tempt the Tengu to come out!" Rizou was about to retort when he saw a weird glassy look in Takasugi's big brown eyes.

"Have you ever felt powerless, Rizou?" He demanded. "I-I'm not sure-?" "Well I have. I felt very scared, very humiliated and very alone...but I survived. And I swore, _I will gain power so I'll never be afraid again."_

Everyone shut up after that.

"You don't have to join us if you don't want to." Takasugi said.

"No, ok, I'll go." Rizou replied. "But can we see a priest after this? I don't want any Tengus following us back to Edo."

"Sure we can. We can even get blessed by the waterfall at Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Who else is coming?"

"Hai, Shinsuke-sama!" Matoto, Pansai and Henpaitai piped up.

"Thank you. Go back to the cemetery, familiarize yourself with its layout and pick out a good spot to tie up our target. Preferably near someplace where we can observe unnoticed." He shot Rizou a crooked smile. "Since you were so concerned about him, we won't leave him overnight. We'll just tie him up until he starts crying. Does that rest better with your _frickin'_ _conscience_, Rizou?" Takasugi smirked. "Nobody's getting haunted tonight. Maybe just _a wee bit traumatized."_

"I'll take care of luring out the target. Let's meet at 9pm, behind the biggest temple. Sounds good?"

The gang members nodded and split up to return to their separate year groups.

XXX

Takasugi headed up his class queue because he was the shortest. He tried telling himself he simply hadn't reached his growth spurt yet although he was already 12. He glanced down the line and spotted Katsura in the middle. His best friend Gintoki stood right beside him. _Hmm, this one might be trouble. He's a lazy boy but he's popular and an excellent fighter. __What if he decides to protect Zura?_ _But Gintoki's afraid of ghosts. Would he have the guts to venture into a cemetery in order to rescue a friend?_

At 7:30 am, classes commenced in spare room in the temple. Shouyou-sensei handed out their graded mid-term papers. Takasugi's heart gave a sickening lurch when he saw his results. _66 percent. N-no way! It can't be!_ Takasugi had never ever gotten below a 90 percent in his life. Students began comparing results. Takasugi frantically flipped his paper over, face flushed with embarrassment.

"The highest marks in class go to Katsura-kun."

"_Zura?!" _Takasugi gasped in shock. He heard Shouyou-sensei's calm gentle voice quote from Katsura's essay but he was too agitated to hear anything. _Katsura got 99 percent! He's p-perfect! How can he do better than me?! I put so much effort into this paper too, every line spoke the word of truth! _His heart gave another jump when he heard Shouyou-sensei's voice call his name.

_"Takasugi-kun, please see me..._Everyone else go spar in the courtyard."

Shouyou-sensei led Takasugi to a round stone table under a magnificent red maple tree. Although they could see the students sparring and hear their shouts, their quiet conversation was easily obscured by the ambient noise. They could talk freely. "Takasugi-kun, you must be shocked by your results for this paper. You are one of my best students and I'm very proud of you. I've never ever given you less than a 90 percent, right?"

"Yes, sensei. What did I do wrong?"

"Your low score has nothing to do with your language abilities. I gave you the maximum score for that category. But as for content, I could only give you…_a zero._

"W-why?!"

Shouyou-sensei lightly placed his fingers on Takasugi's shoulder. With a trace of humour, he said, "You may not realize it, but what you wrote was the most hate-filled rant that I have ever read from a student of mine. If I was running a school for terrorists, you would have gotten 100 percent. Nay, 120 percent."

Takasugi gasped. His face flushed pink and then drained of color. His wide eyes were filled with confusion as he stared pleadingly at his teacher.

"It's my fault. I have taught you badly."

"N-no…" Takasugi shook his head and stared at the fists clenched on his thighs. He dared not look at his teacher. "No…It's my fault for being too stupid."

"Takasugi-kun. There is nothing wrong with you. You already possess the greatest strength of a samurai, which is…"A tranquil hand was placed over Shouyou-sensei's heart and they remained silent for a while. His gaze had a soothing effect on Takasugi, making him feel like listening more. "A sword in your mind. Unlike 90 percent of the students here, you write with real conviction and you're brave enough to say what you believe in, even if you're the first one to say so."

"I just go my own way. I don't care what anyone else thinks."

Shouyou-sensei laughed. "Good. The heart is a good guide. But do you wish to _understand_ the hearts of others?"Takasugi's head snapped up and he shot his sensei with a probing look. "Do you want to know why some children are attracted to you like a moth to a flame?""_W-why?!"_ Takasugi stammered. He blushed deeply and stared at Shouyou-sensei with a heavy feeling in his chest. Nobody had ever described his character like that. Everyone called him a beast, or someone from the dark side. But Shouyou-sensei understood!_ I desperately want to understand and be understood.  
_

"But wouldn't it be better if you were a butterfly, attracting people by your beautiful light?" Shouyou-sensei beamed, adding a second question to the first.

Takasugi felt strangely light-hearted, as if he had been wading through a muddy swamp his whole life and never knew it._ When I'm with him, I feel like I'm looking at the world from the top of a tall mountain._ "Tell me more about your family, Takasugi-kun. I heard that your father was a captain in the Joi War? He must be a remarkable man." "Yes! He is a very powerful and loyal samurai. But ever since our lord died…" Takasugi's face went downcast. It seemed so wrong to tell an outsider about his family life, even if he was dying to confess to his sensei. What was he expecting?

_Can you save me?_

_My father doesn't even look at me when I'm home. Either he hates me, or he feels too ashamed to talk to me. Ever since his lord died, we've fallen on hard times. The life of a ronin isn't stable, and he's often home, recovering from injuries. Mother is humiliated because we live in absolute poverty. I want nothing more than to be a brilliant samurai and restore Father's pride but Mother rejects me for that. She would rather I become a merchant. But to be honest money means nothing to me. Money can't remove my sense of loneliness…I need a gang, I need loyalty, I need power… I hate my mother. My father. And my foster home. I hate everyone except for you. _

_I would much rather stay with Shouyou-sensei forever._

Shouyou-sensei waited patiently for his student's reply. He noticed a detached, lifeless look had come over Takasugi's face, as if he was guarding his privacy and he respected that. He gently summed up the situation. "Japanese society is in a state of transition. I'm sure your family is trying hard to adapt." He opened up Takasugi's file, which listed that he had been sent to 4 different foster homes since he was 9 years old. Every summer he was sent to stay with a different family. "It seems that you've moved around a lot more in your short life than most people do their entire lives. No wonder you seem mature for your years. Tell me, why were you fostered out?"

"They are my mother's relatives. My mother wanted me to learn to be a merchant. So I helped out in the store."

"I see. But why didn't you go back to the same family every summer? Wouldn't it make more sense to learn a trade from the same person?"

Takasugi shrugged and looked at his hands. Just by asking him that, Shouyou-sensei made him feel like crying. "I wanted to. But my mother insisted I go to a different place each summer."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Did something happen?"

"No." Takasugi replied and pressed his lips together. "Nothing I couldn't deal with." Truth was, his first family was nice to him and they liked him. But every summer the families seemed to like him less and less and bully him more and more. Or maybe it was his own attitude that had changed. His current foster "uncle" was the worst…although also the richest. Thanks to him he was able to attend Yoshida Shouyou's elite military academy. Just for that reason, Takasugi figured he should be able to endure any abuse, no matter how humiliating. Shouyou-sensei waited but again Takasugi made no further reply. The chilly morning breeze brought a shower of red leaves fluttering towards them. Shouyou-sensei picked up a maple leaf and ran a finger across its veins, flexing it. "Maybe she doesn't want to see you getting attached to anyone." He mused. "She may love you too much to see you love anybody else. But it's been hard on you. You've been very brave."

Takasugi just gaped at his teacher. He often pitied himself for having a more difficult life than other people, although he could never bring himself to confess something so..._weak_. He often felt frightened by his mother. She was like a tarantula spinning a suffocating web around him, controlling his every movement. His father used teach him sword-fighting, but he had stopped talking to him since he was 9 years old. For that reason, he grew up an angry, jealous boy. He resented being "abandoned" by those people who were supposed to nurture him as a child. Fine. He survived. And never again will he allow anyone to be "above" him like his parents who betrayed him. Instead, he was the one doing the controlling, of his gang, of his school, of his foster home. And deep down, he knew he did it to fill up the bottomless pit in his heart.

_Help me_..._Shouyou-sensei._

Takasugi blinked, hearing the soughing of autumn leaves like the sound of a tide in his ears. The light sparkling through the maple leaves was not just red and gold, but kaleidoscopic. "How did you know that?" He whispered.

"I didn't. My sempai Shinsaku-san taught me that. But he's no longer in the realm of the living. He died at 28 and his grave lies right at the top of a nearby cemetery. I dedicated some flowers to him this morning. He was my friend, who became my enemy when our lords went to war. But even when we clashed, we bore no grudges. That's how deeply we believed in Bushido.

"No grudge? How…?" _Is he for real?_

"The ancient grand vision of Bushido is hard for us to imagine today. It is probably impossible for us to feel the awe with which such a cosmic unity was experienced, but it would be a big mistake to count Bushido out. We don't call it Bushido anymore, but every time you feel compelled to grow into something bigger and grander than what you already are…that's Bushido. Takasugi-kun, a samurai's path is not an easy one, but there is always something in the darkness which can balance the pain."

"For example, dark is balanced by…?"

"Light." Takasugi replied softly.

"Hate is balanced by…?"

Takasugi looked away. "Love."

"And enemies…?"

"Friends."

"That's Bushido, Takasugi-kun. Think about it. Ok, forget about this paper," he said, tearing it in half right in front of Takasugi's shocked eyes. "I'm giving you a re-test.

_Discuss this vision: I will only consider as my enemy in war a person who is worthy of being my friend in peace. _

XXX

Two muscular men wearing samurai swords interrupted their conversation. They wore dark blue jackets trimmed with gold, matching silk vest and white silk cravat. Domineering sneers were pasted across their coarse features. They were servants of the Bakufu, the Shinsengumi! "Are you Yoshida Shouyou…?" The Shinsengumi officer drawled, deliberately omitting the customary honorific of "-sensei" or "-san"

"Say Shouyou-sensei's name properly!" Takasugi demanded, standing up. Shouyou-sensei laid a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, I am Yoshida Shouyou, and you are in my private school. Please take a seat." Shouyou-sensei gestured gracefully, looking perfectly comfortable. There was even a trace of a debonair smile on his face "By the way, when you meet another Japanese person, please remember to bow. Don't act like you have no education."

The officer snorted rudely. "You may be well-educated, sensei, but you sure write a lot of dumb things. For example, how do you explain the treasonous essay you published regarding the Amanto?" The other officer unfolded a scroll and read from it. "_The Minister of Foreign Affairs requires your presence in the Bakufu at 7pm tomorrow night. Attendance compulsory by command of the Emperor._ You're in a lot of trouble, buddy. We're here to escort you back to Edo."

"That's fine. If the Minister-sama is willing to employ even one of the strategies I proposed, then Japan will cease being an inferior nation.

"In case you haven't noticed, the Amanto can make Japan a lot richer. You're just resisting them because you're afraid to give up your samurai lifestyle."

"I think you're the one who hasn't been on a real battlefield. Money can buy comfort but it can't buy courage. When you're face to face with your enemy, money's the last thing on your mind. _You get your strength from honour and loyalty. The real power of Japan comes from the spirit of Bushido!"_

The two officers were stunned into silence by Shouyou-sensei's incredibly convincing tone. How could they not be affected by his beliefs? They were samurai after all. Finally the senior officer sputtered "Bushido - _Bullshit!_ We're taking all your library books as war contributions."

"The immortal works of Confucius, Wan Yang Ming, Socrates and Shakespeare …I will gladly give them to you if it's for a worthy cause. But is it good to steal books from high school students? It's not manly to steal from children, you know."

"Oh my god, Yoshida-san, you win! There's no way I can talk around you, can I? I think you're wasting your time teaching in this little school. You should be working for the Bakufu instead. We were ordered to drag you off, but I respect you too much to do that. I'll give you one hour to pack, and when you're done, you'll find us waiting outside the temple gates. Don't try to run away or we'll imprison all your students." They bowed stiffly and headed out of the compound.

"Sensei!" Takasugi protested.

"Don't worry, Takasugi. I don't believe that they'll kill me."

"How can you speak so calmly!"

But sensei only smiled his ageless, forgiving smile. "It's not that I don't feel anger. But I simply just don't respect them enough to hate them."

"But I'm very worried for you, Shouyou-sensei!" If he hadn't been brought up in a strict samurai family, he would have hugged his teacher tightly.

"But even knowing the risks, I am compelled to act as Bushido dictates."

"_Full well I knew this course must end in death; _

_It was the Yamato spirit that urged me on_

_To dare whatever betides."(1)_

Shouyou-sensei took out a book hidden in the folds of his kimono. "This is a book on Bushido that never leaves my side, even when I am sleeping. I want you to have it." He took out a pencil and wrote a dedication with his fine calligraphy. _"To Takasugi-kun from Shouyou-sensei, with compliments."_

"Hey, what are you doing?" Takasugi asked, craning his neck.

"Drawing…"

"Why are you drawing…_ a worm?!"_

"Look closer, it's a little caterpillar. This is how I see you, Takasugi-kun. A catapillar who will bloom into a beautiful butterfly."

"_Sensei!"_ Takasugi grasped the well-worn book as if in a trance. The lightness of the book, the faint trace of sensei's heat seeping into his palms, the fragrance of the paper and ink...made him stand rooted to his spot for another few minutes. He couldn't speak as he saw Shouyou-sensei wave and walk away.

_Caterpillar? Is that's how Shouyou-sensei sees me? Do you really think I am such an innocent boy, sensei? If I tell you about the things that I have seen and done, you'd be shocked. Only you…of all people, have seen the goodness in me. And you know how that makes me feel? _

_Jealousy._

_I'm gonna get you, Zura. If I get rid of you, then I'll have Shouyou-sensei's attention all for myself._

XXX_  
_

Takasugi stared at Katsura's movements as he sparred with another student with the wooden training katana. He could easily defeat Katsura at martial arts but that wouldn't satisfy him. He wanted to gain a moral victory over his rival...but failing that, making him cry was also a pleasant alternative. He cupped his chin, thinking of the ways he could manipulate Katsura to meet him late at night. In the middle of the crowd of students, he spotted Gintoki and Rizou sparring together. Rizou was the taller and more muscular of the pair and appeared to have gained the upper hand.

"Hey, hey Rizou…" Gintoki complained in a sleepy voice. "Cool down, will ya? It's too early in the morning to be so aggressive."

"Che!" Rizou cursed, hitting hard with his bokuto, retreated then lunged at Gintoki's side.

Gintoki dodged, feeling irritated at having to work out harder than necessary. "I warned you Rizou!" With a sudden burst of speed, Gintoki cut his bokuto onto Rizou's arm. "Arrgh!" Rizou dropped one knee on the flagstone, grabbing his forearm.

"Oops. Nothing broken, I hope?" Gintoki asked, examining Rizou's arm. A red welt had appeared.

"Nah…you're lucky you got a shot at me, Gintoki. I'm distracted today."

"Excuses, excuses. Tell me about it."

"No, I'm serious, Takasugi gets on my nerves sometimes. That guy just doesn't know when to stop! He knows these mountains are haunted by the Tengu, but he insists on bringing us up there for a morning jog. As if that wasn't bad enough, now he wants to tie someone up to a tombstone and watch! Che!"

"Really…Tie someone up?"

"His favourite person, you know…" Rizou raised his eyebrow.

"_Zura?_"

"Takasugi acts like he's obsessed about him."

"My my, this won't do. Zura happens to be my best friend! How can you plan something so nasty for him…"Gintoki wagged his finger disapprovingly. "But you're right. Takasugi's gone too far this time. What do you say we give him a taste of his own medicine?"

"Actually… I'm more afraid of Takasugi than of you."

"Don't worry. I have a plan, he'll never find out." He whispered something into Rizou's ear.

"Yeah!!" They slapped each other with a high-five.

"What's so exciting?" Takasugi appeared behind the two conspirators, making their faces turn red from holding in their giggles. He glared suspiciously at them but decided not to pursue the matter. He plunged into the crowd and headed towards Katsura. He gave the classmate sparring with Katsura a fearsome smirk and grabbed his bokuto from his hands. "Do you mind if I steal Katsura-san for a little while?" "Y-you can have him all for yourself! I'll go find someone else to train with. See ya, Zura!" The teen ran off, not wishing to get between Takasugi and his target. The pair were famous for getting into disagreements.

"Takasugi-kun." Katsura protested sternly. "I hope you have a good reason for interrupting my training session."

Takasugi pretended to look upset. "Unfortunately, yes I do. I did really badly for the mid-terms." He took out his paper so that Katsura could see his dismal results. "Could you spare me a moment to discuss this in private?" Katsura looked surprised but he agreed. Takasugi led him to the stone table under the maple tree. "Shouyou-sensei was just explaining my mistakes to me, when some guys from the Bakufu showed up and demanded that he return to Edo."

"Is that why Shouyou-sensei left on horseback? Is he in trouble?" Katsura asked. Takasugi shook his head, feeling worried. "I hope not, but the Bakufu officials looked like they were arresting him."

At that, Katsura's brows knitted tightly together. They were both thinking the same thing.

_What if something happens to Shouyou-sensei?_

Touched by his enemy's sincerity, Takasugi instinctively put his arm around Katsura's neck. _Wait a minute! What am I doing?_ He quickly took out his paper, revealing it to be torn in two. Katsura laughed.

"It's not me. It was Shouyou-sensei. He said it was too crappy so he tore it up."

"No way."

Takasugi laughed. "He wanted me to re-write it. My new topic. _I will only consider as my enemy he who is worthy of being my friend in peace._"

"Only consider as your enemy a person who is worthy of being your friend. That's an attitude found in Bushido. It's to teach samurai to have a big, generous heart that will never be jealous of anyone or hate anyone, not even someone clashing with them. Awesome, isn't it?"

"Zura…" _Zura's smarter than me! _Takasugi's eyes widened. He had never thought of that. He thought it was a measure of fighting abilities.

"Eh…at least that's what my father told me." He put his hand shyly at the back of his head. "But…I don't understand it myself! How can I ever hurt my own friends? Or be enemies with them?" Katsura's clear brown eyes looked a little sad but his eyebrows and lips were drawn in a determined line, as if he couldn't believe life could ever turn out so wrong. _He's so pure!_

"And if I did something bad to you, would you consider me your enemy?"

"Why would you say such a thing, Takasugi-kun? I know we often disagree on many things, but I don't mind." Katsura actually smiled. "I like listening to a different point of view. And you know, arguing with you actually taught me a lot."

"No, I mean, if I threatened your life. Would you hate me?"

Katsura frowned, puzzled. "I don't know why but I don't. But I've hated you for threatening other kids. That's the only time I get mad at you."

_Snob! How dare he look down on me! I'm going to make him hate me._"Good points, Katsura-san. I'm going to write all of them into my essay but do you mind if I discuss a little more with you? But I have things to do all afternoon, so I'm only free at night. Can I meet you later, like just before lights out?"

"Did I really help you?" Katsura looked doubtful. "I can try…if you want."

"Ok…meet me tonight at 9:30pm at the back of the biggest temple. Can you do that?"

"Uh, that sounds a little sneaky…"

"Do you want to sneak out? We can sneak out…"

"Where to?"

"See a Tengu?"

"No."

"How about the grave of a famous samurai?"

"Who?"

"Shouyou-sensei's sempai. His grave is at the top of the cemetery."

"Really? I would like to see that!"

"Ok…Let's go there later...Bye for now!" Takasugi ran off, pretending to be busy. _Hehehe…that was almost too easy! He even said he wanted to see the grave of a samurai. Now he can't call me a bad guy if I tie him up there!_

XXX

_10 hours later_

Just before sunset, Takasugi was walking alone when he saw Gintoki run towards him as if out of breath. "There you are, Takasugi! Shouyou-sensei asked to meet you in the temple office." "Shouyou-sensei! Didn't he leave for Edo?"

"He came back."

"He came back?" Takasugi's eyes shone with hope as he ran to the office. "Oh thank goodness he is safe!" He found the room dark and empty. "Gintoki! There's no one here!"

_Ugh, Chloroform!_

Takasugi passed out. Rizou and Gintoki tied him up and carried him out of the temple grounds and onto the slopes of the cemetery.

_To be continued...._

XXX

(1) Poem written by Yoshida Shoin, a pioneer of modern Japan, on the eve of his execution by the Bakufu.

_**Please review....thanks :D**_


	2. On the road to Death

**_THE NIGHT OF THE TENGU: PART 2_**

_A/N: Takasugi's nickname is "The Black Beast of Edo". _

_"Decay Heat" is the sequel._

_XXX_

"He's not going to remember anything when he wakes up."

Rizou hurriedly carried Takasugi's unconscious form up the sloping path behind the temple while Gintoki ran at his side. They both snickered mischevously. After climbing up a few terraces, Rizou threw Takasugi's prone body in front of a tightly packed cluster of tombstones and panted heavily. The sun shattered behind russet maple leaves, gushing a fine spray of blood-colored light upon the three children. The lichen covered rocks glowed vermilion and a faint rosy mist rose visibly upwards into the chilly, overcast sky. A strip of faded silk was tied across Takasugi's eyes and wrists. One cheek rested on a piece of moss so he looked like a Kyoto doll with a toothache. It was easy to imagine him peacefully asleep except for the fiery, menacing aura that radiated from his small form at all times.

"Where shall we put him?" Rizou asked, between huffs. His temporary partner-in-crime grimaced as he scanned the hillside. They were now mid-way up the cemetery and had passed by certain spots that just felt…_eerie._ Sometimes they could spot those places -- where trees grew ancient and twisted, tombstones slept overturned and odoriferous humidity wafted with the breeze. Anyone would know not to trespass _those places._ But it could happen anywhere, even in seemingly bright spaces, they might walk into a patch of ground that just felt like a nest of dirty, smelly, _"cobwebs."_ "Kisama!" Rizou cursed as some sticky "cobwebs" clung to him again. He felt a palm clap over his mouth. "Kusoyaro! No cursing in a graveyard", Gintoki hissed, face twitching uncomfortably. "But we can't leave him here…plus I can't stand the aura around here a minute longer! Shall we go higher?"

Both kids automatically ran higher up the ridge. The air became fresher.

"For a small guy, he sure is heavy…"Rizou protested, resting again, but quickly resumed his hike. "Want my help?" Gintoki asked. Rizou looked startled, then refused. Maybe it was loyalty, or maybe Takasugi's stubbornness had rubbed off on him, but he just couldn't…if he accepted Gintoki's help…did that mean he would have to be… _f-friends_ with Gintoki? The thought irritated him. No, this way was better. Gintoki shrugged and ran on ahead. He ran past the pagoda and up a few more terraces. He saw something at the top that made him shout and wave to Rizou. "Wow, check this out!"

There was a clearing in the forest that only had one grave under a slender, still-growing cherry tree. The tombstone was not the conventional cenotaph or pedestal, but an odd-shaped, raw uneven stone on which a word was written. The kanji was carved deep into the stone as if by embedded by the weight of the brush-stroke and painted a lustrous black. Gintoki stared at the word in amazement. Was that the word for F --? The tomb looked freshly swept. In the green bamboo containers placed in front of the tomb, someone had recently dedicated red roses, white dahlias and yellow chrysanthemums. "This is the coolest tomb that I've ever seen!" Rizou gasped. "Whose is it?" Gintoki stared at the stone. Besides the "F" word, there were no other inscriptions. "No name. Maybe no one's buried here." Rizou gratefully placed his burden down. "It's so peaceful here…Hehe…Takasugi should be safe then." The two quickly tied up Takasugi's ankles, placed him inside a burlap bag and attached him with a rope to the tombstone. They stood up and stared blankly at the bag, which snoozed slightly.

"What should we do now?" Rizou asked. "Should we stand guard? In case something really comes?" Gintoki spared Rizou a doubtful look. Rizou countered. "No, its not like I want to…but what if- what if something bad really happens to him? You felt it too…_something's here!_" Gintoki smirked. "Well why don't you give him some of your karma? Have you done anything good to someone else recently?" Rizou just gaped.

"Uh, I gave Matoto a pen I stole from another student."

"That's not counted."

"Um…I beat up Takasugi a couple of times when we were sparring. He said he enjoyed it."

"That's more like it. Let's say we're doing both Katsura and Takasugi a favor by tying Takasugi up. Two birds with one stone."

"Is this ok?" Rizou asked. He started to look guilty.

Gintoki's eyes suddenly became furious. "Look, Takasugi has had this coming to him for months. Ever since he joined our school, he's been trying to form some kind of …_cult_ around him. If he can't take the hint then I'll have to drive the point home."

"Yeah…" Rizou admitted.

They sat down beside the tomb and watched the sky turn blue with twilight. Takasugi stirred. Nizou shivered. _"Shh – he's waking up! _Let's hide! If he sees me, I'll die!" They ran down several terraces, down to the biggest retaining wall and hid behind the stone pagoda. "Should we watch from here?" Rizou asked. In the silence, no sounds were heard except for the cries of nightbirds and insects. It appeared to be a false alarm."So what's up with Takasugi?" Gintoki asked as they sat down on the pagoda steps. "Why is he such a brat?"

"Who knows…he has dark stuff in his past…no one knows."

"No?"

"Nah…Takasugi's weird. He'll ask you all kinds of questions. Before you know it, you've poured out your soul to him but you realize you know nothing about him, and you don't dare to ask."

"You don't mind that grouchy look on his face all the time?"

Rizou snorted. "_Nooo,_ I like it. I like to see him intimidate people. Heck, I hang out with him because I want trouble!" He laughed childishly. "But the thing about Takasugi is that he just doesn't know when to stop! The more power he has, the more he wants! He just keeps getting worse and worse!"

"So why don't you just break up with him."

Rizou didn't know what to say. He had no other "friends.""Or do you hate freedom?" Gintoki commented sarcastically.

Both kids snickered.

They noticed the lights of the entertainment district of Kyoto begin to twinkle in the distance. "Hey…isn't that the candlelight of Gion? Geishas, Maikos and fan dances!" "And ice-cream!" Gintoki added, then snuck Rizou a sly look sideways. "Wanna sneak out and explore? Since we're already outside." Nizou licked his lips, tempted. "It's not like I enjoy your company – I much prefer to have fun with a pretty Geisha, but what if something comes after Takasugi? I just want to scare him, not have him possessed by a ghost!"

"Don't worry. I heard the "witching hour" is between midnight to 2am. Why don't we have some fun then come back and pick him up at like 10pm? Everything will be ok."

"Heh. You're so smart, Gintoki."

"Um…thanks."

"Let's hurry then. It takes one hour to walk to Gion."

"Walk?" Gintoki said then suddenly turned pale. "Ughhh, I can feel something cold behind me…and what's that eerie sound?! Lets get the fuck outta here!! KYAAAHHHHHH!" "GYAAAAAHHH!" The two pre-teens succeeded in scaring themselves and screamed like retards as they shot down the stone steps.

Takasugi stirred, eardrums irritated by the racket. He cracked open an eyelid, which weighed a ton. He found himself in a fetal position and was unable to move, making him almost faint from fury and frustration. He had overheard Gintoki and Rizou talking, briefly, before he passed out. Rizou betrayed him! He knew it. No matter how many "friends" he made, he would always be completely alone again. He couldn't trust anyone. So much for Shouyou-sensei's high ideals. Meet fear with love? Do you think I've never done, that, Shouyou-sensei? Tried to tie others to me? But they always leave in the end. That's why I want power….the only way to tie people to me is by power…

_Worship power, and it will eat you alive. Welcome to hell._

Something resembling a black, feathered beast stood in front of him. Takasugi saw a ruby red light, and a dark, baritone laughter resounded within his skull. His harsh breathing and pounding heartbeats sounded as if a mask had been placed over his senses, and he couldn't move. Was this a nightmare? Takasugi screamed mentally. The voice in his head replied. I don't think your friends betrayed you, since you're the one who started this karma. If you listened to Rizou and decided not to prank Katsura in the first place, this wouldn't have happened. You played the game, and you lost. Takasugi had to admit, the black beast was right. Somehow, even in his ugliest moments, Takasugi had battle honor. May the best man win, and he lost. _Fair's fair. What's there to be sad about?_

_ That I'm so, so lonely._

Takasugi cried.

The Tengu grinned. Making human beings go crazy is…_a riot!_

XXX

_4 hours later, 9:15pm_

Rizou and Gintoki arrived back at the temple after having fun sneaking in and out of the teahouses of Gion. They split. Rizou ran to meet up with his gang behind the biggest temple, while Gintoki went to look for Katsura. "You're late." Henpaitai said, putting a hand on Rizou's shoulder. "But Takasugi's not here yet! Should we still carry out his plan?" "Have you started looking for him?" Rizou asked nonchalantly. "No …we're afraid he'll scold us if we left and he thinks we're late." "Well, where's Katsura? He's the last guy we saw talking to Taka – speak of the devil. He's here."

Katsura showed up, holding a book in his hand. "What's going on? Are we having a party?"

"Katsura." Nizou blurted out. "Have you seen Takasugi?"

"No…but he told me to meet him here at 9:30pm. He said he wanted to discuss Bushido. Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?"

"Maybe…maybe not. We haven't seen Takasugi since this afternoon."

"Really? Have you searched the temple grounds? Shall we do that? I can help." Takasugi's gang members looked at one another with unspoken irony. "What's there to think about? " Katsura continued. "We have six people here so why don't we split into three groups of two? Let's divide up the temple into three parts, the North, East and West. I'll go with Gintoki…we'll take the north."

XXX

"Hurry up, Gintoki. Don't stroll like this. Something bad may have happened to Takasugi." Katsura scolded his slack-looking friend.

"Forget it, you won't find him on the temple grounds." Gintoki replied smugly.

"Then where could he have gone…? Don't tell me he went into the cemetery?"

"Yep."

"No way! Is he crazy?"

"He's not crazy, it's karma."

"What happened?"

"Takasugi, the beast, he wanted to trap you. But his plan backfired. One of his guys talked and so we went up and tied him to a tombstone instead."

"You what?! How could you do that, Gintoki?" Katsura turned angrily to face his friend, fists clenched. "He's going to be so frightened!"

"Hey, hey! Just a second. He would have tied _you_ up and left _you_ there! I'm helping you, can't you see?"

"What! The bastard! And he told me he wanted to talk about _Bushido _with me…I thought he wanted to be my friend! OOH NO…I can't let him get away with this."

Gintoki smiled. "No, he won't forget this lesson. He's been up there for 4 hours already."

"Hmmm…. Bastard. 4 hours may not be enough for him…I have a wicked idea." Katsura grinned and whispered into Gintoki's ears. The kids ran to Gintoki's room to get torches, a knife and…_a prop._

XXX

As Gintoki and Katsura headed north, Nizou raised his hands. "Guys, guys. I have a confession to make. I tied Takasugi to a gravestone at the top of the cemetery." He decided it wasn't neccessary to mention his partner-in-crime's name for Gintoki's own protection."Why did you do that for?" Matoto shouted. "Hey, hey, hear me out! Have I ever disobeyed Takasugi before?" Rizou glared so angrily that the other guys calmed down. Actually, they knew about how Rizou felt. They felt the same way too. "I'm like you guys. I like to fight. But what Takasugi is doing is way out of my league! I don't want to start a war with all the other cliques in school! I've had enough of living each day like its do or die for nothing. What are we really fighting for anyways? To get stronger? _Or to feed Takasugi's black beast?_ It never ends!This has to be done, or he'll never know when to stop."

XXX

Rizou, Matoto, Bansai and Henpaitai were holding torches. They marched as far as the middle of the cemetery before none of them could go any further. Fog seeped out of the gravestones and bubbled into the grey sky, from which a hideous halo of the crescent moon was faintly glowing as if through the smoke of an invisible battlefield. The group was enveloped in the humid, suffocating smell of rotting corpses. The smell crept into their noses, their clothes, their minds. No two ways about it. They all felt a strong presence of evil, even though it wasn't even 10pm at night. They tried pushing forward, but the fog repelled them like a fuzzy mirror, reflecting their torches but exposing no more then three feet of ground in front of them. Strange, dangerous shapes formed and dissolved in the mist, like predators lying in wait.

At that point, they saw torches appear from behind them. It was Gintoki and Katsura.

"Why are you stopping? Let's go." Katsura said. Gintoki's face was noticeably green and clammy.

"C'mon Rizou!" Gintoki said, pushing Rizou in front of him.

"Huh?" Rizou replied, pouring sweat. "You go ahead. I forgot where we tied him up." "The top…the top!" Gintoki managed, trembling.

"Why did you have to tie him up so high?" Katsura complained, feeling nauseous and also feeling cold sweat pour down his shoulders and back.

"Its safer there…its h-here that it's the most dangerous…" Gintoki replied, looking anxiously into the fog. "GYAAAAH!! I CAN FEEL HOT BREATH DOWN MY NECK!!"

"It's just Rizou…" Katsura muttered.

"But I'm here!" Rizou said. Katsura ignored him and forced himself to pick out the path in the fog and started walking up. The group began to form a caterpillar, with Katsura in front.

"But I'm the last in line!"

"Guys move up. I'll protect the rear."

"Shit…what are these glowing orbs, they weren't here before…"

"If you're so scared, hold hands." Gintoki said.

"Don't fear. If you fear, then the Tengu will get you…"

"Hurry up. Let's move." Rizou growled. "Oww! I hit a tombstone!"

"Quick, apologize!"

"Sorry! Sorry, forgive me brother." Rizou hastily repeated. "Gintoki, why are you grinning like that?"

"Gintoki, who's Gintoki?" he said in an eerie voice.

"Don't joke at a time like this! Hurry up I wanna pee."

"Ah, its not the witching hour yet. We're early." Gintoki said.

"Don't make me cut you." Rizou replied.

XXX

Takasugi panted raspily. He was flat on the ground, having sparred with the Tengu for hours, in a place beyond time and space. The pain he was in was worse than the worst beating he had ever taken, yet he wasn't dead yet, due to some sinister magic. His body had been broken and crucified a hundred times until even his spirit collapsed. He was completely alone.

_Shouyou-sensei,_ he sobbed.

So… are you going to join me or not? The Tengu's deep baritone echoed menacingly in his mind again. This is the only way you will be able to gain power. You'll gain power, but you'll lose yourself. _How about it?_ Takasugi gritted his teeth. He was going to die. His mind was being absorbed by the Tengu, in exchange for his lust for power. For the sake of power. I'll do anything, right? Takasugi thought. What kind of power will I be able to have if I can't even live through the night? Fuck Edo, fuck everyone. I will be strong and come back and crush you!_Tengu…_ Just as he wanted to give in, a stubborn voice told him he was up for another round.

_"No, I won't do it! Come and get me, Tengu!!"_

XXX

"That's Takasugi's voice!" Katsura shouted. He dashed madly up the slope, all fear forgotten. Takasugi was in danger! _"Takasuugiiiii!!"_

XXX

Takasugi knelt on the ground, defeated. His soul was almost completely eaten by the Tengu. No! I don't want to become a Tengu! _Save me, Shouyou-sensei!_ Tears poured down his face, but it was no use. The evil was too strong. This was it. Even if his body survived, he would have lost himself. It was too horrifying even to imagine what entity he would become, it was impossible to imagine himself as just a pure lust for power and not a human being with unique perceptions. But it was too late now. Everything in his life had lead up to this moment. He had no one but himself to blame for his hate, his jealousy and his pride. His utter foolishness. But in the end, he only had one last regret. Takasugi clasped his hands together and said his last prayer. _Shouyou-sensei...I'm going to die now. Thank you for everything and I am sorry I couldn't live up to your expectations. I hope to do better the next time round. Good-bye, Shouyou-sensei. You're the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Thank you..._

_A cold wind brushed his skin…_

_A glowing white light enveloped his spirit…_

_A sense of peace washed over him…_

Suddenly, Takasugi heard a deep, mysteriously familiar voice within his soul. Leave him alone and pick on someone your own size, Tengu!

Eerie laughter filled Takasugi's skull. Who is he to you?

He's my enemy's student. And my enemy's student is…_my student._

He felt a bright flame whoosh over his head.

_Fire!_

A knife was cutting through Takasugi's bonds, a bag was opened and being pulled off his head. He couldn't see through the burning, cracking, smoking flames of bright torchlight…but in front of him was…another Tengu! Another Tengu?! It didn't look like the one he met. It had a red painted face, bulging eyeballs with hole-like pupils and a long bulbose nose. Wait… _red_ _paint?!_ The Tengu grabbed Takasugi and embraced him tightly. Takasugi closed his eyes…the Tengu…smells so good. It smells as clean as a pine forest on a snowy winter day. I didn't know the Tengu's body feels so thin and bony underneath that thick cloak. _Sensei…thank you, Sensei, __thank you...  
_

Takasugi finally recovered his senses and looked at the person in front of him. It was a kid with a pale, serious face, big brown eyes and long black hair –"It's you…Katsura?!" And he saw his gang arriving onto the terrace, out of breath. They rushed to embrace him. Takasugi sank to his knees, defeated again. His heart was so overwhelmed he did not know if he was dead or alive or dreaming. Big drops of tears flowed spontaneously down his cheeks. Even then, he still had his damnable honor which simply wished he could go somewhere and kill himself. He deserved to die, for all the evil things that he had been thinking about, only 4 hours ago and for all the dark thoughts that possessed him for the past 12 years of his life.

"I'm so ashamed. Tie me back up Katsura. I don't deserve this."

"What are you talking about? After we tried so hard to rescue you?"At that moment, Takasugi could not meet Katsura's eyes, he only stared at Katsura's feet, at the frayed ends of his straw sandals. He stared at Katsura's soft pink nails. If the feet now walked away from him, his heart would be broken. If Katsura would always walk with him, then he would be saved.

To his shock, Katsura also sank to his knees. He stretched out his hands, not even with a trace of mockery.

"Tie me up too."

"Why?" Brilliant black eyes stared into clear brown eyes.

"You're my classmate, Takasugi. I can't let you stay out here alone. If you want to face the darkness, then I'll face it with you."

What is this feeling? That he'll always stand by me and never let me feel lonely? Why does this place feel like a light is shining in the dark? And what have I just said? Why did I say that to him? I can't believe it! No, take it back! But it was too late, as Katsura had already replied. _Takasugi? Why are you asking me to be your friend? You've always been my friend!_ But Takasugi's pride overcame him once more -- You're only saying that out of pity, he thought. I can't take this kind of friendship. _Never! -- _Takasugi tried to stand up and push Katsura away, but his legs would not obey. So he covered his face with his hands and pushed Katsura away with his heart...

_.... which turned out to be a mistake._

_Fin._

_XXX_

_... was there too little "Tengu"? Not scary enough? Let me know...  
_

_In case you're wondering the Tengu's abilities are something like Itachi Uchiha's "mangekyo sharingan". He is a master warrior able to create realistic illusions in your head. Days of torture pass in what seems like minutes. He has wings but doesn't really fly so much as teleport. That's all I know. There's a cute Tengu anime called "Tactics" if you want to find out more._

_ "Reviews are appreciated", really. :)_


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